February 9, 2010

What, you say? You've been doing all this reading about Honduras and didn't know that Honduras had a Prime Minister? Even worse, you are Honduran and didn't know that you had a prime minister? Who Dat?

Dat's who! Don't feel too bad. Honduras did not have a prime minister, that is, until US Ambassador Hugo Llorens unofficially assumed that position.

President Pepe Lobo met with Llorens to get his marching orders in the morning of his first full day in office. Government officials meet to decide the formula for setting gas prices, and there is Hugo Llorens to make sure they do it right. The Truth Commission is discussed, and there is Hugo Llorens to make sure that everyone understands what 'truth' is required by the USA.

The Congress meets, and there is Hugo Llorens to tell them what they need to get done.(Photo: Juan Orlando Hernández, President of the Congress with Hugo Llorens, La Tribuna. Note the faces as they listen to the "we're just here to help you" speech.)

Llorens has met with the two most powerful mayors in Honduras and held out the carrot (aid). He gives us his conditional blessing: He sees that Honduras is headed in the right direction, but in the judgment of the Imperialist, there is much kowtowing to do in order to return to the fold of the international community. "We'll be working jointly," he says.

The President meets with his cabinet, and the photo op shows that there is Hugo Llorens, sitting at the table as if he was a member of the Honduran government! Afterward, at the President's press conference, he is side by side with Hugo Llorens who patronizingly pats him on the back.

I've seen more of Hugo Llorens face on the news than the new Honduran president in the past two weeks. He never fails to sound condescending in his press conferences as he discusses what "Honduras needs to do".

The naughty little colony is being brought back into line after its 'time out'.

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I read on an Embassy employee's blog that when Hugo Llorens and the Washington delegation arrived to the inauguration, there inexplicably was no place for them to sit. Heheheh! Do you think that was poor planning or an oversight? No way.

Someone scrambled around and found some folding chairs for them. Next time, don't wait so long to RSVP. Just days before the inauguration, Llorens reported that he didn't know who would be representing the US. Show a little respect.

Despite the dangling carrots, Hondurans recognize a false friend. Ambassador Llorens was booed at the inauguration and he has been consistently found to be untrustworthy in polls. This January 31, 2010, poll asks: Do you believe that Pepe Lobo should trust in the friendship shown today by Ambassador Hugo Llorens? Yes, 28%; No 72%.

In a really interesting interview with former Minister of Foreign Relations, Carlos López Contreras, he states: "The behavior of the United States both before and after the crisis is openly hostile to our Government....denying oxygen at all times to the government that emerged from the contra-coup because we must not forget here that who intend to give a coup was Zelaya and his supporters, who violated our political and constitutional laws and intended to subvert the democratic system and stay in power indefinitely."

López Contreres also mentions the lack of allies, those who said, (paraphrased by LG), "We're with you, man, but we can't come out of the closet. Sigan adelante! (Go ahead), but don't count on us." He says that they were told to resist the pressure, but "we can't support you publicly".

I highly recommend that you read the El Heraldo interview (in Spanish). Unfortunately, the Google translation to English leaves out a lot of 'nos' and 'nots' rendering it useless.

Meanwhile, ambassadors return to Honduras with great fanfare to tell us what a friend of Honduras they are while they express pleasure at the "return to democracy" of Honduras.

Welcome to my Blogicito — spanglish for 'little blog'. I am a US expatriate who has been living here in La Ceiba, Honduras, with my Catracho husband since 2001 and blogging about Honduras and my expatriate life since 2006.

The Blogicito includes a wide variety of topics from everyday life to cultural differences to Honduran politics and corruption. One way to find what you are looking for is to browse the 'Topics' list or the monthly lists of articles under 'La Gringa's archives' below. Looking for something more specific? Use the search box at the upper left (for complete articles) or the Google blog search below (for a list of summaries — usually more manageable).